Rotary cultivator



`2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

J. CARROTHERS. ROTARY GULTIVATOR.

No. 499,211. Patented June 13, 1893.

FIGJ- (No Model.)l 2 sheets-sheet 2.

J. CARROTHBRS. ROTARY GULTIYATOR. No. 499,211. Patented June 13, 1893.

me Norms frans ou. Puoroumo., WASHINGTON. nA cA ff UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE@ JAMES oARRoTHERs, or PAvoNfA, OHIO.

ROTARY CULTIVATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 499,211, dated J' une 13, 1893.

Application filed January 23, 1893. Serial No. 459,320. (No model.)

.To aZZ whom it may oon/cern,.-

Be it known that I, JAMES CARRoTHERs, a

. citizen of the United States, residing at Pavonia, in the county of Richland and State of Ohio, have invented a new and `useful Harrow, of which the following is a specification.

Thisinvention relates to hai-rows; and it has for its object to provide certain improve# ments in machines of this character, whereby the ground shall be thoroughly and effectually broken, preparatory to planting, and to this end the invention primarily contemplates a machine having special arrangements of harrowing-teeth in combination with certain adjustments to secure the best possible results.

With these and other objects in View which fall within the scope of the invention, the same consists in the novel construction, combination and arrangement of parts herein- ,after more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a top plan view of a harrow constructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section view thereof. Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail in perspective of one end of the vertically adjustable harrow shoeframe.

Referring to the accompanying drawings A represents the axle having at the opposite ends thereof the spindles a, upon which are journaled the opposite supporting and drive wheels, B, carrying the 'machine and providing means fortransmitting motion to one part thereof as will be hereinafter more fully described.

Fixedly secured to the top side of the axle A, is the seat frame C, extending tothe front and rear of the axle and having the opposite longitudinal frame bars c, to which at c', is securely bolted the rear end of the under harrow supporting frame D. The said harrow supporting frame D, comprises the opposite frame bars CZ, suitably connected by ordinary cross-bars, and said frame extends from its point of connection in rear of the axle to the upper seat-frame, beneath the axle and to the front of the same.

To the extended front ends of the opposite bars d, of the under frame are secured the front parallel supporting bars E, to the inner A of which, the extreme front ends of the opposite frame bars c, of the seat-'frame are bolted. The parallel supporting bars E, in front of the wheels B, extend beyond the opposite sides of the frames between the wheels and to apointbeyond the wheels as clearly illustrated in Fig. l of the drawings, and are connected at such ends by the horizontal end frame-bars F. The opposite end frame bars F, support at each end thereof the opposite curved hanger feet G, which feet are provided with and thus relieve the entire machine from p strain, saidv shoe-bars being adapted to be simultaneously and independently adjustable by the means hereinafter described.

Mounted upon the shoes I, supported beyond the wheels B, and near their front ends, are the bearing-boxes J, which receive the journal ends of the harrow roller K. Thesaid harroW-roller K is provided with alternate rowsof roller or hai-row teeth k, which are designed to pierce the clod and harrow the earth as the machine travels over the ground. As will be understood by those skilled in the art, the teeth of the roller,when themachine is in operation, walk over the surface of the ground, and therefore the said roller receives its movement from the forward motion ofthe machine under ordinary circumstances, but in order to break up extra hard surfaces or clods, supplemental means are provided for rotating the roller. To provide for this auxiliary, the roller K, is provided with an intermediate sprocket L, Which receives one end of the endless chain Z, the other end of Vwhich passes over thesprocket-wheel Z loosely mounted on the'transverse shaft Z2. The said transverse shaft Z2, is journaled below and in rear of the axle on the under supporting frame D, and carries at opposite ends thereof the pinions M, meshing with the internal gearwheels or rings m, removably secured to the spokes of the opposite wheels B, to transmit motion to said transverse shaft. The sprocket wheel communicate inotionto the roller chain Z, is

engaged by the sliding clutch sleeve m2, mounted to slide on the shaft Z2 adjacent to the loose sprocket wheel, and is controlled by an ordinary foot lever m3, mounted upon one of the side bars d, and arranged adjacent to the operator, to be used" for the purposes specitied.

Secured at their ends to the opposite shoes I, and connecting the same in rear of the harrow roller K, are the parallel tooth bars N. Fixedly secu red at one end to the front tooth bar nearest the roller K, are a transverse series of cleaning fingers fn, projecting forwardly from the tooth bars, to which the same are secured, to a point near the roller K, and are so arranged as to travel between the teeth on the harrow roller, to relieve the same from clogs or other impediments clinging thereto. The front tooth bar M, also carries the perpendicular or straight unyielding harrow teeth O, of ordinary construction and adapted to have their upper bolt ends securedto the tooth bar in the ordinary manner, and said straight harrow teeth are arranged in rear of the roller K, so as to pierce the surface of the ground in the spaces left between the teeth of said roller and thereby provide extra means for thoroughly breaking the ground.

In order to complete the harrowing devices carried by the movable shoes I, I employ a series of rearwardly extending curved spring harrow teeth P. The spring harrow teeth P, are secured at one end to every' alternate perpendicular tooth P, on top of the front toothbar, and extend from such point of connection over the top of the rear tooth-bar N, to

which they are also bolted as at p, and have their curved spring ends curved below the tooth bar, to engage the surface of the ground and thereby complete a combination of roller, straight unyielding, and spring harrow teeth, to secure the complete and eectual breaking of the ground, all of said harrowing devices being vertically adjustable with the end shoes I, by the means to be presently described. The opposite hangers G, are braced in their position by the diagonal brace-rods g', in order to strengthen the same for the support and guiding of the opposite shoes, to which are centrally secured at their lower ends the lifting rack bars Q, provided along one edge from their upper ends with the teeth q. Said rack bars are held steady in their upward movement by suitable guide clips q,secured to the opposite end bars F. The rack bars Q, are engaged by the toothed .segments R, secured to the outer ends of the opposite independent rock shafts r. The said opposite rock shafts fr, are journaled at their outer ends in the end bars F, and at their inner ends to the under sides of the front ends of the seat frame bars c, and each of said shafts is provided with a crank arm r', to which crank arms are connected one end of the opposite operating wires S, the other ends of which are connected to the raising and lowering levers s. The said levers s, are pivoted at their lower ends to the opposite frame bars c, and are provided with the usual dogs s,'engaging the adjacent segments s2, which provide means for holding the levers at any adjusted position. The levers s, are arranged in front of the longitudinally adjustable seat T, supported upon the rear end of the seat frame() over the ordinary tool box t, so that either or both of the levers are under the control ot the driver at one time. From the adjustments just described, it will now be understood more clearly, that one end of the harrow can be raised independently of the other end in order to clear an obstruction at that particular end, and it will also be apparent that by operating both levers, the entire harrow can be lifted above and out of contact with the ground when the same is not in use.

Pivotally secured at its inner end to theinner of the parallel supporting bars E, as at U, is the forwardly extending tongue or draft beam u, to which the team is attached in taking the harrow over vthe field to be broken, and said draft beam or tongue u is designed to work loosely in the clevis or clip V, when the harrow is in operation, in order to allow the same a vertical play when traveling over uneven surfaces. The clevis V, is secured to the front bar E to secure the result noted, and is sufficiently large to allow for the movement necessary, but when the entire harrow is lifted from the ground, in order to prevent the same from scratching the road or the ground over which the same is being transported,I employ the securing pin o, adapted to pass transversely through perforations in the clevis above the tongue, to hold the harrow frame firmly thereto. Now, from theconstruction herein described, it will be observed,that, the opposite ends of the harrow project beyond the wheels, so that the wheels travel always over harrowed ground and therefore are not likely to raise the harrow teeth out of the ground by passing over uneven surfaces, which is an important point in harrowing land. It may be `further observed at this point, that the distance between the traveling wheels B, is. designed to be the same as the distance between 'the rows of corn to be planted, so that as the machine moves over the ground, the same acts in the capacity of a marker to evenly mark oft the land, and in order to insure the equal marking of the land, I employ a side marker guide W, pivotally secured at w, to a front corner of the harrow frame and adapted to travel in the last path left by the wheel so that the machine is guided straight for marking purposes. It may be additionally noted at this pointthat in order to hold the sprocket chain Z, which communicates movementto the harrow roller, suiiciently tight, I employ an intermediate tightener pulley X, supported below the un- IIO der frame D, and oontactingwith the upper v portion of said chain as fully illustrated in the drawings.V

It is thought that the eonstructionrand operation and many advantages of the herein described adjustable harrow Will now be apparent to those skilled in the art. Y

Having thus described myinvention, what I desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. In a harrow, the combination with the Wheel frame; of a frontsupporting frame hav.- ing the opposite end bars, slotted hanger feet depending from the extremities of each of said end bars, vertically adj ustable curved shoes having their extremities loosely engaging the slots of Vsaid Hangers, harrowing devices connecting the opposite shoes, and means for adjusting said shoes, substantially as set forth.

2. In a harrow, the wheel frame, a trans--v verse supporting frame infront of the Wheel frame, longitudinally slotted hangers depending from opposite side extremities of said transverse supporting frame, separate shoes having pins attheir extremities which freely engage the slots of said depending hangers, a toothed harrow roller journaled on the opposite shoes, separate straight and spring harroW teeth supported in position between and adjusted with said shoes, and means for si` multaneously or independently adjusting the opposite shoes, substantially asset forth.

3. In a harrow, a wheel supported frame, a transverse supporting frame'mounted on the front end of thewheel frame, curved slotted hangers arranged at opposite ends of the transverse supporting frame, curved shoes having guide and supporting pins at each end working in the slots in said hangers, harrowing devices connecting thepopposite shoes, and means for simultaneously or independently adjusting the opposite shoes, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination in a harrow of the Wheel supported frame, a transverse support-A ing frame at one end of the wheel frame and having opposite depending hangers, a vertiverse supporting frame mounted at the front end of the wheel frame and having depending hangers, opposite adj nstable shoes mounted in said hangers,a toothed harrow roller journaled on the opposite lshoes and moving driving the roller, substantially 'as set forth.

6.V In aharrow, the combination with the supporting frames, of the opposite vertically adjustable shoes, a toothed barrow roller mounted on and near the front ends of said shoes, parallel tooth bars connecting the opposite shoes in rear. of the roller, and hal-row withthe machine, and auxiliary means for Y teeth secured to said tooth bars, substantially as set forth.

7; In a wheel harroW, the combination yof opposite verticallyiadjustable shoes,.a barrow roller mounted on said shoes, auxiliary means for driving said roller, parallel tooth bars connecting the shoes in rear of the roller, a series of transverse Acleaning fingers secured to one of the tooth bars -near the roller, straight harrow teeth secured to the bar nearest the roller, and springharrow teeth secured to the topiof both -tooth bars, and curving overthe top of the reary tooth bars, substantially as set forth; n

. In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JAMES CARROTI-IERS.

Witnesses: Y

JOHN H. SIGGERS, E. G. SIGGERS. 

